Distributed storage network and method for communicating data across a plurality of parallel wireless data streams

Abstract

A distributed storage network receives data that is to be transmitted. The data is processed via one or more error-coding dispersed storage functions and sliced into data slices. A certain number of the data slices are selected for wireless communication via a plurality of wireless modules wherein a first wireless module sends a first portion of the data slices, and a second wireless module sends a second portion of the data slices, and so on until the data slices are fully communicated. The wireless modules may be of different hardware, software, protocols, throughputs, bandwidth, speeds, encoding schemes, algorithms, etc. The transmission over several different wireless modules that potentially have different (and potentially changing over time) characteristics may increase both performance and security.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for outputting data for storage by a user device in a distributed storage network (DSN), the method comprising:
 processing the data into a plurality of sets of encoded data slices using an error coding dispersal storage function, wherein a data segment of the data is encoded into one of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices; 
 identifying distributed storage (DS) units of the DSN for storing the plurality of sets of encoded data slices, wherein a first DS unit of the identified DS unit to store a first encoded data slice of each set of at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices, a second DS unit of the identified DS unit to store a second encoded data slice of each set of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices; and a third DS unit of the identified DS unit to store a third encoded data slice of each set of at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices; 
 determining performance requirements regarding storing the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in the identified DS units; 
 determining security requirements of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices based, at least in part, on vault information associated with the data segment; 
 in accordance with the performance requirements and the security requirements, mapping the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to particular wireless modules of the user device for substantially simultaneous wireless transmission of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the identified DS units via one or more networks; 
 transmitting, by a first wireless module of the wireless modules, the first encoded data slice of each of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the first DS unit; 
 transmitting, by the first wireless module, the second encoded data slice of each of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the second DS unit; and 
 transmitting, by a second wireless module of the wireless modules, the third encoded data slice of each of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the third DS unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the performance requirements comprises one or more of:
 a wireless communication protocol; 
 a desired security level; 
 a desired data rate; 
 an acceptable latency; and 
 a desired bandwidth. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  wherein the identifying the wireless modules further comprises:
 comparing the performance requirements with performance capabilities of a plurality of wireless modules; and 
 based on the comparing, selecting the particular wireless modules from the plurality of wireless modules. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1  further comprises:
 transmitting, by the first wireless module, the first and second encoded data slices in accordance with a first wireless communication protocol; and 
 transmitting, by the second wireless module, the third encoded data slice in accordance with a second wireless communication protocol. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1  further comprises:
 transmitting, by the first wireless module, the first and second encoded data slices at a first data rate; and 
 transmitting, by the second wireless module, the third encoded data slice at a second data rate, wherein the first data rate is greater than the second data rate. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1  further comprises:
 transmitting, by a third wireless module of the wireless modules, fourth encoded data slices of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to a fourth DS unit of the identified DS units; and 
 transmitting, by a fourth wireless module of the wireless modules, fifth encoded data slice of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to a fifth DS unit of the identified DS units, 
 for each assignment of one of the wireless modules to the one or more of the identified DS units, determining which of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to be stored in the one or more identified DS units. 
 
     
     
       7. A user device of a distributed storage network (DSN) comprising:
 a plurality of wireless modules; 
 an interface for sending data slices; and 
 a distributed storage processing module coupled to the interface and being operable to:
 process the data into a plurality of sets of encoded data slices using an error coding dispersal storage function, wherein a data segment of the data is encoded into one of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices; 
 identify distributed storage (DS) units of the DSN for storing the plurality of sets of encoded data slices, wherein a first DS unit of the identified DS unit to store a first encoded data slice of each set of at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices, a second DS unit of the identified DS unit to store a second encoded data slice of each set of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices; and a third DS unit of the identified DS unit to store a third encoded data slice of each set of at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices; 
 determine performance requirements regarding storing the plurality of sets of encoded data slices in the identified DS units; 
 determine security requirements of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices based, at least in part, on vault information associated with the data segment 
 in accordance with the performance requirements and the security requirements, map the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to particular wireless modules of the user device for substantially simultaneous wireless transmission of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the identified DS units via one or more networks; 
 transmit, by a first wireless module of the plurality of wireless modules, the first encoded data slice of each of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the first DS unit; 
 transmit, by the first wireless module, the second encoded data slice of each of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the second DS unit; and 
 transmit, by a second wireless module of the plurality of wireless modules, the third encoded data slice of each of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the third DS unit. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The user device of  claim 7  further comprises:
 transmit, by the first wireless module, the first and second encoded data slices in accordance with a first wireless communication protocol; and 
 transmit, by the second wireless module, the third encoded data slice in accordance with a second wireless communication protocol. 
 
     
     
       9. The user device of  claim 7  further comprises:
 transmit, by the first wireless module, the first and second encoded data slices at a first data rate; and 
 transmit, by the second wireless module, the third encoded data slice at a second data rate, wherein the first data rate is greater than the second data rate. 
 
     
     
       10. The user device of  claim 7  further comprises:
 transmit, by a third wireless module of the plurality of wireless modules, fourth encoded data slices of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to a fourth DS unit of the identified DS units; and 
 transmit, by a fourth wireless module of the plurality of wireless modules, fifth encoded data slice of the at least some of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to a fifth DS unit of the identified DS units. 
 
     
     
       11. The user device of  claim 7 , wherein the distributed storage processing module is further operable to identify the wireless modules further by:
 comparing the performance requirements with performance capabilities of a plurality of wireless modules; and 
 based on the comparing, selecting the identified wireless modules from the plurality of wireless modules.